Cutter



Nov. 15, 1966 Filed Jan. 8, 1965 INVENTOR.

FALYQMM A Milka/emu ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,284,899 CUTTER Pasquale A. Mercorelli, 441 Summer Ave., Newark, NJ. Filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,231 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-229) The invention relates gene-rally to cutters, and particularly to hand-tools for cutting or embossing thin sheet material such as paper.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cutter which may he inexpensive, simple in construction and which will receive interchangeable complementary dies.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cutter which, though of light construction, will be durable.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cutter that either cuts or embosses sheet material such as paper, with a of force applied to the handles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cutter which can serve as a toy for cutting out or embossing amusing 'or educational figures from a sheet, or which can serve as a punch to perforate data processing cards.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages may be attained from the device shown in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cutter illustrative of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 22, looking in the direction of the arrows, in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the male die, disassociated from the cutter;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the female die, disassociated from the cutter; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 5-5, looking in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 3.

Cutting and embossing devices for use as toys, to cut or emboss nursery rime figures and the like have been heavy, difiicult tor children to handle, required great force to operate, and usually cut or embossed one figure. It has been found that a light weight cutter or embosser could be made, that was easy tor a child to use and handle without danger to itself, that required only slight force to 0perate, and could be provided with interchangeable pairs of dies for cutting or embossing amusement or educational figures. This was accomplished by forming the dies in such a manner as to have oblique cutting surfaces that only engaged a small portion of the sheet at a time, that was serrated, and engaged an undercut die. Thus, a lightly constructed device could be used, with interchangeable dies. The same device, of slightly heavier construction, could be used for recording information on punch cards.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, an outer arm 11 and an inner arm 12 are provided. The outer arm 11 has a slot 13 through which the inner arm 12 extends. The outer arm 11 has side walls 14-14, and the inner arm 12 has side walls 15--15. These arms intersect each other by reason of the inner arm 12 protruding through the slot v13. An axle v16 passes through the side walls 1414, 1515 so that the arms 11, '12 are pivotally connected together. Since the arms 11, 12 cross each other or intersect, compression of the ends 17- 18, which defines handles, cause the opposite ends v19-20, which define jaws, to move toward each other.

The jaws are provided with channels 21-22, each provided with overhanging edges 23. A male die 24 is inserted in one channel 22 and a female die 25 is inserted in the channel 21. The overhanging edges 23 retain the 3,284,899 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 dies 2425 in the channel 21-22. The male die 24 is provided with a design 26 and the female die 25 is provided with a corresponding cut out design 27. The design 26 is formed by a plurality of elevated, parallel, elongated ribs, preferably having quite sharp edges 28-28. The design 27 is undercut at the edge 29. Opposite the design 27, the end 19 or jaw has an aperture 30 to permit discharge of cut material.

The ribs 26 are made with sharp edges 28 of an object to be cut from a sheet. On the other hand, if any embossing is to be performed, the edges 28 may be dull. Also, the ribs are slanted or tapered in the direction of the axle 16. The ribs enable the use of an inexpensive, light weight handle because the ribs unlike shears distribute the cutting iorce over a wide area. Also, the slant or taper permits lighter and less expensive constructions because the cutting force is applied, not all at once, but progressively.

If the edges 25 are dull rather than sharp, an embossing of sheet material is accomplished, rather than a cutting of figures.

Since only minimal force is required to out or emboss, it is not necessary to make the arms 11, 12 of metal, but a lightweight plastic can be used, for ordinary purposes, such as for a cutting or embossing toy. For a business punch, a more durable material, such as metal may be used; it may then serve as a coding device.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

What is claimed:

1. A cutter comprising:

(a) pivotally connected, intersecting arms;

(-b) handles at one end of the arms at one side of the connection, whereby the opposite end of the arms move toward each other as the handles are compressed;

(c) die channels on the other ends of the arms, at the other side of the connection from the handles;

(d) overhanging edges on the die channels;

(e) removable, opposed, male and female dies located in the channels in registration with each other;

( f) a plurality of parallel, elongated ribs defining a design on the male die;

(g) an opening on the female die corresponding to, and dimensioned to receive the design on the male die.

2. A cutter comprising the device according to claim 1 and the ribs on the male die decreasing in height toward the pivotal connection.

3. A cutter comprising the device according to claim 1 and the opening on the female die being undercut.

4. A cutter comprising the device according to claim 1 and the outer edges of the ribs being sharp. 

1. A CUTTER COMPRISING: (A) PIVOTALLY CONNECTED, INTERSECTING ARMS; (B) HANDLES AT ONE END OF THE ARMS AT ONE SIDE OF THE CONNECTION, WHEREBY THE OPPOSITE END OF THE ARMS MOVE TOWARD EACH OTHER AS THE HANDLES ARE COMPRESSED; (C) DIE CHANNELS ON THE OTHER ENDS OF THE ARMS, AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONNECTION FROM THE HANDLES; (D) OVERHANGING EDGES ON THE DIE CHANNELS; (E) REMOVABLE, OPPOSED, MALE AND FEMALE DIES LOCATED IN THE CHANNELS IN REGISTRATION WITH EACH OTHER; (F) A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL, ELONGATED RIBS DEFINING A DESIGN ON THE MALE DIE; (G) AN OPENING ON THE F EMALE DIE CORRESONDING TO, AND DIMENSIONED TO RECEIVE THE DESIGN ON THE MALE DIE. 